Jack definitely has a bullying disposition, and I recall reading that book (I've since lost my copy so my memory is hazy) and being horrified at her behaviour and at how the school handled it.

IIRC, she and Jane end up very good friends, and I couldn't believe Jane would want to be friends with someone so unpleasant. In my experience bullies do not 'change their spots' like that, and just tend to transfer their behaviour to a new target.

There's an episode in 'Barbara' where she is wrongly accused of something, which sets the scene for an episode of bullying, but never really comes to anything

'Barbara paled and then went red again as she looked round the ring of faces. It was unfortunate for her that none of the Gang were there. Neither was Clare who would have put a stop to this kind of baiting at once, and given her a chance to speak up for herself. '

There's an episode in 'Barbara' where she is wrongly accused of something, which sets the scene for an episode of bullying, but never really comes to anything

Because, in one of those CS moments that make you want to stand up and cheer, Vi puts a very effective end to it.

Which is one of the reasons I loved the CS as a kid because popular pretty kids like Vi and ML stand up to bullies on behalf of other kids. So later in the series when Margot and Jack indulge in bullying tactics themselves, it's a bit of a jolt.

AilidhNoor wrote:

Jack definitely has a bullying disposition, '

So does Margot and it comes out in her 'coaching' which scares the younger girls to the point that they deliberately avoid her.

cheers,Joyce

_________________It's fun to have fun, but you have to know how - Dr Seuss

IIRC, Jack and Jane end up very good friends, and I couldn't believe Jane would want to be friends with someone so unpleasant. In my experience bullies do not 'change their spots' like that, and just tend to transfer their behaviour to a new target.'

I'm not sure about 'wanting' to become friends with a bully, but it does happen. I was badly bullied, in my first year at grammar school, by two girls who came from the same school - not mine! They made fun of my voice - I didn't have the local Nottingham accent - to such an extent that I became afraid to open my mouth for the next few years, so sensitive was I about how 'awful' I must sound. I still often feel that way, even today. They also made fun of the parts of my uniform that were hand-made, eg cardigan and summer school dress, because money was in short supply at home. They were both well off and didn't understand. My mother said I changed completely in that year, from a happy-outgoing child to a very self-contained one who found refuge in books. And yet, by the time we got to fifth form, we were good friends, so much so that I once even went on holiday with one of them and her parents. Did we remain friends after school? No!

_________________ "When I play with my cat, who knows if I am not more of a pastime to her than she is to me?" (Montaigne)

And yet, by the time we got to fifth form, we were good friends, so much so that I once even went on holiday with one of them and her parents. Did we remain friends after school? No!

One of the group of girls who bullied me was the daughter of one of my father's friends. So at church youth group and outside of school, she was 'friends' with me. But once we got to the school gates, she went off to her group and promptly joined in the bullying again.

Once primary school was over, I seldom spoke to her again even though her family stayed friends with mine.

Years later when she had her own family and mum dragged me over to her place on a visit, she told me her daughter was being bullied at school. Ironically she wanted me to talk to her daughter about how I "dealt with it."

I simply said "that's called karma." I didn't say that to the kid though!

Cheers,Joyce

_________________It's fun to have fun, but you have to know how - Dr Seuss

Any chance that you can give the title of Jay Bs srabble pleasewould love to read it

I think it must be My Filthy Temper Again by JayB in SDL.

That's a much better version of events and true to what the Chalet School would have done in previous years or for a different character. I do think EBD had a problem with doing anything against the MBR clan, but then Margot (and young Sybil) were too strong as characters for her to write them any other way, hence the "turning a blind eye" which wouldn't have happened for anyone else.

hence the "turning a blind eye" which wouldn't have happened for anyone else.

And the covering up that goes on to protect her is insane. Especially when she nearly kills Betty with a block of wood. I wonder what the Landon's thought when Betty went home and told her parents what happened.

And why?! I know EBD would not think about stuff like the school being sued, but there is no logic given for why Miss Annersley would hush up the whole affair. Except to protect her best friend's daughter.

Cheers,Joyce

_________________It's fun to have fun, but you have to know how - Dr Seuss

I assume she was just trying to avoid trouble. The form could have split between Team Margot and Team Betty, and caused a lot of tension. But it's so unfair that Margot gets away with it when other people get into trouble for so much less. Hilda Jukes is criticised by her form, and sent to see Miss Annersley, because she accidentally injures Nina as a result of a contact sport, in which Nina wasn't properly positioned, organised by a teacher during a PE lesson.

And the covering up that goes on to protect her is insane. Especially when she nearly kills Betty with a block of wood. I wonder what the Landon's thought when Betty went home and told her parents what happened.

And why?! I know EBD would not think about stuff like the school being sued, but there is no logic given for why Miss Annersley would hush up the whole affair. Except to protect her best friend's daughter.

Cheers,Joyce

As a person swift to anger and a chucker of objects most of my life (though not at people usually, other than a saucepan of cold ravioli I tipped over an intransigent teenager once) I have a certain amount of sympathy with Margot...

And no, EBD would certainly not have thought about the possibility of the school being sued since, praise be, in those days we did not live in the ridiculously litigious culture we do now.

I am all for people getting their rightful dues in any circumstances, indeed that is what my working life consisted of ensuring for the CAB's clients, but we have gone, I feel, far too far along the road of what is reasonable.

As somebody who also can explode on occasion, I think Margot Maynard should have been expelled. It was a bookend she threw at Betty and for very little reason. She nearly killed her. Betty deserved to go to a school where she could feel safe - her parents were also paying enough money.

There should have been the most awful rumpus imaginable. I wonder how hurt Betty's parents would have felt at their daughter being treated like this.

Just two years before Margot had been very unpleasantly bullying and blackmailing another girl. Interesting that this took place when her mother was , yet again, about to give birth. Some women - maybe - can cope with lots of children. Joey was not one of them. She should have stopped trying to impersonate a sausage making machine and make a better job of looking after the children she already had.

I would say Margot needed psychiatric help. Maybe there was a bit more to it than hearing her "devil". She could have had a serious mental illness. Either that or just pure nasty . Goodness knows how she treated younger pupils as a prefect and games captain.